Scalable multistage interconnection network architecture and method for performing in-service upgrade thereof
First Claim
1. A scalable switch fabric architecture comprising:
- an input switching stage having N inputs and N outputs operable to connect selected ones of said N inputs to selected ones of said N outputs;
an output switching stage having M inputs and M outputs operable to connect selected ones of said M inputs to selected ones of said M outputs;
a multiplexer stage having a plurality of W-bit input channels and a W-bit output channel, wherein said output channel is coupled to said M inputs of said output switching stage; and
a removable core switching stage having N inputs adapted for coupling to said N outputs of said input switching stage and having M outputs adapted for coupling to a first input channel of said multiplexer stage.
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Abstract
There is disclosed a scalable switch fabric architecture comprising: 1) an input switching stage having N inputs and N outputs operable to connect selected ones of the N inputs to selected ones of the N outputs; 2) an output switching stage having M inputs and M outputs operable to connect selected ones of the M inputs to selected ones of the M outputs; 3) a multiplexer stage having a plurality of W-bit input channels and a W-bit output channel, wherein the output channel is coupled to the M inputs of the output switching stage; and 4) a removable core switching stage having N inputs adapted for coupling to the N outputs of the input switching stage and having M outputs adapted for coupling to a first input channel of the multiplexer stage.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A scalable switch fabric architecture comprising:
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an input switching stage having N inputs and N outputs operable to connect selected ones of said N inputs to selected ones of said N outputs; an output switching stage having M inputs and M outputs operable to connect selected ones of said M inputs to selected ones of said M outputs; a multiplexer stage having a plurality of W-bit input channels and a W-bit output channel, wherein said output channel is coupled to said M inputs of said output switching stage; and a removable core switching stage having N inputs adapted for coupling to said N outputs of said input switching stage and having M outputs adapted for coupling to a first input channel of said multiplexer stage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. For use in a scalable switch fabric architecture comprising an input switching stage having N inputs and N outputs operable to connect selected ones of said N inputs to selected ones of said N outputs, an output switching stage having N inputs and N outputs operable to connect selected ones of said N output switching stage inputs to selected ones of said N output switching stage outputs, and a removable core switching stage having N inputs adapted for coupling to said N input switching stage outputs and having N outputs adapted for coupling to said N output switching stage inputs, a replacement core switching stage for replacing said removable core switching stage, said replacement core switching stage comprising:
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an input switching sub-stage having R inputs and R outputs operable to connect selected ones of said R inputs to selected ones of said R outputs, wherein N of said R inputs are adapted for coupling to said N input switching stage outputs; an output switching sub-stage having R inputs and R outputs operable to connect selected ones of said R output switching sub-stage inputs to selected ones of said R output switching sub-stage outputs, wherein N of said R output switching sub-stage outputs are adapted for coupling to said N output switching stage inputs; and a removable core switching sub-stage having R inputs adapted for coupling to said R input switching sub-stage outputs and having R outputs adapted for coupling to said R output switching sub-stage inputs. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. For use in a scalable switch fabric architecture comprising an input switching stage having N inputs and N outputs operable to connect selected ones of the N inputs to selected ones of the N outputs, an output switching stage having N inputs and N outputs operable to connect selected ones of the N output switching stage inputs to selected ones of the N output switching stage outputs, and a removable core switching stage having N inputs adapted for coupling to the N input switching stage outputs and having N outputs adapted for coupling to the N output switching stage inputs, a method of replacing the removable core switching stage comprising the steps of:
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connecting a replacement core switching stage in parallel with the removable core switching stage, the replacement core switching stage comprising; an input switching sub-stage having R inputs and R outputs operable to connect selected ones of the R inputs to selected ones of the R outputs, wherein N of the R inputs are adapted for coupling to the N input switching stage outputs; an output switching sub-stage having R inputs and R outputs operable to connect selected ones of the R output switching sub-stage inputs to selected ones of the R output switching sub-stage outputs, wherein N of the R output switching sub-stage outputs are adapted for coupling to the N output switching stage inputs; and a removable core switching sub-stage having R inputs adapted for coupling to the R input switching sub-stage outputs and having R outputs adapted for coupling to the R output switching sub-stage inputs; and
switching data traffic to the replacement core switchingstage from the removable core switching stage; and
removing the removable core switching stage. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification